Jayden Quaintance talks reclass decision, Kentucky offer: "It seems like a good fit"

2024 five-star forward Jayden Quaintance became somewhat of a viral sensation this past year, showing off a deep bag of tricks simply not owned by traditional bigs. At 6-10, 225 pounds, the Cleveland native is capable of putting the ball on the floor and creating scoring opportunities around the basket. He’s fluid and quick, but a powerful and vicious finisher. And he’s expanding his game as a jump shooter.

Sure, he’s raw and extremely young — he just turned 16 this month. But, my goodness, is there a lot to work with there. If there’s someone worth buying early stock on, it’s Jayden Quaintance.

Adjusting to stardom

How is the Word Of God Christian Academy — yes, the same Word Of God former Kentucky megastar John Wall played for — standout handling the celebrity treatment?

“I don’t know if I’d say that [laughs], but it’s definitely been cool,” said Quaintance, who averaged 17.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per contest in the Overtime Elite league this past season. “I’ve gotten a little bit more exposure, more offers, just kind of getting noticed more. OTE was a big part of that (growth). I did pretty well with OTE, but it was definitely with Team USA (at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship) that kind of blew it all up. That was the biggest thing so far. I’m pretty versatile, I can do a lot of things and I move better than a lot of people my size.”

Putting things together as a ball handler and his growing confidence has paved the path for his on-court explosion — “My confidence, that’s been a big thing for me,” he said. “Getting more confident.”

All-Star dreams (and expectations)

It has allowed him — and anyone that has watched him play, really — to dream big about his blindingly bright future. And he’s not afraid to shoot for the stars when discussing just what that might look like.

“I could be, if I maximize my potential, at least an NBA All-Star, you know? That level of player,” Quaintance told KSR. “I just have to stay in the gym, stay committed, just stay working.”

The five-star’s recruitment

Unsurprisingly, his recruitment has taken off alongside the production, new offers and interest coming seemingly by the day.

“Cincinnati, Ohio State, Missouri, Kentucky, Washington, schools like that,” he said of the schools prioritizing him the most. “It’s been a good experience just to see what it’s like on the next level, what I can expect.”

What does he like about those programs in particular?

“Two of them are close to where I stay,” Quaintance said. “Cincinnati, they’ve been on me since I was a lot younger. Ohio State has been talking to me more and my parents kind of like it. I have family members that went to Ohio State. Mizzou, I like their playing style. They have a new coach and he’s an NBA coach. Kentucky, they have a great program with a lot of NBA players. And they’ve got a great coach. Washington, it’s an ex-NBA player, the assistant coach that I talk to a lot. They’ve been on me.”

Is he waiting for any new programs to emerge? Any offers he’s hoping for? Not necessarily. He’s just taking his recruitment one day at a time — whatever happens, happens.

“I don’t really have a dream school or anything like that,” he said. “It’ll just be whatever makes the most sense.”

Kentucky extends an offer

Kentucky was undoubtedly a big one, though, that offer coming during a visit to Lexington back on June 25.

“I went on an unofficial when I got the offer. It was definitely cool to talk to Coach Cal for like 30 minutes,” he told KSR. “Me, my dad and my little brother were all talking to him and we got to see a practice. It was cool to be down there. They seem interested and it seems like a good fit. So we’ll see.”

What did he like about his trip to Kentucky, talking to the coaching staff and sitting in on practice?

“Just to see the type of stuff they work on, how to practice and learn at the next level. What he thought was important, being one of the better coaches of all time. It was good to see that,” he said. “(Calipari) likes that I’m versatile and can move better than other people at my position, I’m faster than other people at my position. So he likes that because I can get out and play fast.”

Scheduling official visits

Next up? The visit process, with Quaintance telling KSR he will be setting up officials to those five schools prioritizing him the most: Kentucky, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Missouri and Washington.

What will he be looking for on those trips?

“Being with the team, seeing what the team thinks about the program, why they stay there and what they like about it. What the coaches are talking about,” he said. “And another main thing is education, I want to see what the academics are like. Those are the main things.”

Reclassifying to 2024

Quaintance recently threw a new wrench into things, reclassifying from ’25 to ’24 earlier in July. And because he won’t be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2026 due to age, he’ll be at his next stop for two years, not just one.

“Well, I’ve been playing up my whole life. Since forever, I’ve been playing older kids so it just seems like the right decision. And if you get to college sooner, why not?” he told KSR. “I’m trying to get to the pros as soon as possible. Because of my age, I think I might have to do two years regardless. But getting to college a year earlier can’t hurt. It’s just a higher competition level.”

Two years of a potential lottery-level talent? Doesn’t get more exciting than that.

What is he looking for?

He doesn’t have a timeline for a decision, but he knows what he’s looking for at the next level.

“What the team looks like and who they already have, what role I’m going to have on the team,” Quaintance told KSR. “Am I going to be able to show off what I have? Will I have a green light? And what are the coaches like? How are they interacting with the players? Those things.”

And what will the program of his choosing be getting for those two years?

“A hard worker, someone who will give it his all no matter where I go,” he said. “I’m just trying to be the best that I can, give everything I have. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win games.”

The college and pro routes will both be considered — the G League Ignite and NBL are both interested in landing his services. Kentucky is firmly in the race and will likely get an official visit.

Can Coach Cal and his staff get it done for the five-star big? They’re certainly going to give it their best shot.